Adjustable support for window-shades.



F. RICHARDSON.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR WINDOW SHADES.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. 23, 1913. 1,131,795. Patented Mar.16,1915.

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P. RICHARDSON. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR WINDOW SHADBS. APPLIUATION FILED DEo.2a,1913.

1,1 3].795 Patented Mar. 16,'1915.

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V 25 www llulllllmlllll UM )www L UNITED STATES PATENT FFICFI.

FREDERICK RICHARDSON, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR WINDOW-SHADES.

Application filed December 23, 1913.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK IioHARD- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Supports for lWindow-Shades; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a device for supporting window shades, curtains, and the like, at diierent positions with relation to the frame or casing upon which the shade or curtain is mounted.

One purpose of the invention is to provide efcient and convenient means ot lowering a window shade or curtain roller :trom the top of aV window frame to permit oit' overhead ventilation and light, without eX- posure of the interior of the room to view, or subjecting the occupants of the room to draft of air. Besides being available in residences, the device is applicable to otic'es in permitting the ventilation of the room from the top, thereby giving an overhead light without having the current of incoming air affect the arrangement of papers which may be placed upon a desk.

A further purpose of the invention is to enable an operator to control the lifting mechanism of the device and at the same time control the positive action of the locking element, whereby the shade or roller may be quickly and conveniently positioned at dii'erent points.

Furthermore the invention contemplates the simplification and durability oit construction and operation, as well as permitting the adjustment oi the various parts to frames of various heights and widths.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a roller and shade mounted on the device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a shade supporter applied to a window casing, with the shade removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper retaining plate. Fig. d is an end view of one of the retaining plates. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the upper re- Specicati'on of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 808,390.

taining plate shown with the curtain bracket adjustably mounted thereon to fit curtains of different length. detail view of the lower curtain rod. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view ot an upper retaining bracket. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the bracket and spring catches. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of an upper side rod with the plate sleeves thereon and showing a spring catch positioned to engage retaining means on the side rod. Fig. 10 is a view of the clamp for the lower curtain rod or plate. Fig. 11 is a detail view ot the cam in said clamp.

The device is designed more particularly as a shade or curtain holder, and is illustrated in the accompanyinfr drawings as applied to a window frame. In the embodiment illustrated, the side members 15 are shown secured to the frame by suitable retaining devices or cleats, 16, 17, the latter being positioned at the upper end of the side members 15. These side members are preferably composed of several parts, a which may be telescopically or 'otherwise arranged to permit of adjustability to window frames of diierent sizes. The upper cleat 17 is shown in Fig. 7 provided with an extended surface on which may be mounted an antiriction device 18.

A curtain supporting member is mounted on the side members 15 for vertical movement. In the drawings, this supporting member is shown composed of two plates 19 and 20. The plate 19 being provided with suitable means to engage the plate 2O to retain the plates in alinement, and to form a continuous supporting member. In Fig. 3 this retaining means is shown in the form of oppositely positioned flanges 21 near one end of the plate 19, which flanges are adapted to engage the edge of plate Q0.

Both of the plates 19 and 20d are provided with a central aperture 22, through which is passed any suitable device, such as a clamp nut 23, to clamp the plates 19, 20 into adjusted positions. Each plate, 19, 20, is provided at one end with means to engage the side members 15 and these means are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as a plurality ot devices 24, 25, illustrated in the form of sleeves positioned at the upper and lower corners respectively of the plates, whereby the curtain supporting member, 19, 20, may be firmly supported on the side members 15, and guided in its vertical movement on said side Fig. 6 is an enlarged.

members. Between each pair of sleeves 24, 25, there may be positioned a curtain bracket 26, which may -be formed integral with the plate 19 or 20, or which may be adjustable thereon, as at 27, in'Fig. 5, to fit curtain poles or rollers of different length. It will Vbe understood that the sleeve-like member 24, 25, and the curtain bracket 26 may be cut or bent up from the same material as the plates 19 or 20, and. formed therefrom, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing the device.

Near the upper end of each plate 19, 20,

' and preferably adjacent the upper sleeve 24,

' tures 32 in the side members 15. This bolt is retained normally in engagement with the retaining device 32 by a spring 33. These bolts may be connected by suitable means, such kas a wire or cord 34 to which connecting means 34 there may be attached one end of a suitable flexible connection, such as a chain or cord 35 for operating the bolt 31 to retract the same from engagement with the apertures 32.

A suitable flexible connection, such as a cord or chain 3G extends from the eye 29 of the block 28 over the anti-friction device 18 and thence over a pulley 37 to a suitable point 38 beyond the pulley when this connection 36 is joined to theouter end of the chain or cord 35. lt will be seen from Fig. 2, that an operator may draw upon one end of the cord 35 to release the bolts 31 from their locking engagement and control the action of the bolts with one hand while with the other hand the position of the curtain supporting member 19, 20, may be determined by operating the other end of the cord 35 which controls the vertical movement of the curtain supporter through its connection 36.

In the usual hem 39 of the curtain 40, there may be provided adjustable curtain plates, 41, 42, one of which, 41, is shown provided with integral flanges 43 along the edges thereof to receive the other plate 42 for the purpose of retaining the plates in alinement. Each plate 41, 42, is provided with suitable means, such as the clips 44. which are adapted to engage the side members 15 and retain the curtain 40 in proper position, preventing an improper rolling of the curtain upon its roller, and preventing .also the curtain from being torn or pulled off the roller or broken from the center.

These guide clips, besides increasing the life of a curtain, also prevent currents of air from interfering with the adjustment of the curtain. rilhe two plates 41, 42, may be retained in rigid adjusted position by a suitable clamping device 45, which may be permanently secured to the members as in Fig. 1,' or a detachable device such as shown in Fig. 10 may be employed. Y Y

The clamp of F ig. 10 provides means whereby the parts may be quicklyloclred in an adjusted position. This clamp comprises two jaws 46 which are hinged together at 47 and provided with inwardly bent terminals 48 adapted to be connected by a cam-like member 49. When the two plates 4l, 42, are adjusted to their proper position, the jaws 4G are positioned over the curtain and the plates, the rod 50 is turned to cause the cam 49 to engage the terminal plates 48 andy thereby form the jaws 46 tightly into clamping engagement with the plates 41, 42, retaining the members in position, without injury to the curtain.

It will be observed that the curtain`40 may be raised and lowered as is Vcustomary with the ordinary spring actuated roller and shade, and at the same time ventilation and light maybe secured from the top of the window by operating the cord 35 to release the bolts 31 while holding the bolts retracted, and adjust the position of the curtain roller with relation to the window frame, whereupon the curtain roller may be held inV a fixed position while the bolts 31 are released to engage the apertures 32 in the side members 15.

The employment of the lower guiding element which is positioned'in the hem 39 of the curtain 40, together with its clips 44 engaging the side supporting members, operate not only to retain the curtain in its predetermined position during vertical movement upon the frame, but also prevents such accidents as tearing the curtain from its roller, or the improper rolling of the curtain on the roller, thereby creasing or injuring the curtain fabric, as will be readily understood.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the form and proportion of the parts herein described, but the right is reserved to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by YLetters Patent, is: l

1. ln a device of theV class described, a plurality of side members adapted to be secured to a frame, a curtain supporting member adapted to be adjusted to various widths of .frames and slidably mounted on said side 'inembers, locking means on said supportingI member to'engage the side members, a single flexible controlling element having one part adapted to control the operation of the elevation of the curtain supporting member and the other portion of said element to control the locking means, a spring actuated curtain roller carried by said curtain supporting member and provided with a curtain, and an adjustable curtain member concealed within the free end of the curtain and adapted to engage the side members for retaining the curtain in proper alinement with relation to its roller and the window frame.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of telescopic side members adapted to be secured to a frame, a curtain supporting member having means for slidably engaging the side members, said supporting member comprising two flat plates adjustable transversely with relation to the frame, means to lock the plates in their adjusted positions, spring actuated devices to retain the supporting member in a predetermined position with relation to the side members, means to control said spring actuated devices, and means to elevate the supporting member.

3. In a device of the class described` two tubular telescopic side members adapted to be secured to a frame, a curtain supporting member comprising two plates slidably connected, each of said plates being provided with a plurality of sleeves adapted to slide upon one of the vertical side members, means to lock said plate against movement with relation to each other, a plurality7 of spring actuated bolts carried by said plates of the curtain supporting member and adapted to enga ge the tubular members, and flexible connecting :means having one end controlling the action of the spring bolts and the other end to control the vertical sliding movement of the curtain supporting member.

4. In a device of the class described, two tubular telescopic side members adapted to be secured to a frame, a curtain supporting member comprising two plates slidably conn nected, each of said plates being provided with a plurality of sleeve-like members adapted to slide upon one of vertical side members, a weight supporting block carried by the upper sleeve of each member, a spring actuated bolt connected with each block and adapted to engage one of the telescopic side members, a supportingl pulley, and flexible means connected to each of said spring bolts and said weight supporting blocks.

5. In a device of the class described, two tubular telescopic side members adapted to be secured to a frame, a curtain supporting member comprising two plates slidably connected, each of said plates being provided with a plurality of sleeve-like members adapted to slide upon one of the vertical side members, a weight supporting block carried by the upper sleeve of each member, a spring actuated bolt connected with each block and adapted to engage one of the telescopic side members, a central supporting pulley, anti-friction devices positioned at the upper end of each side member, and flexible means having one part connected to the spring bolts and the other part to the weight supporting blocks, whereby the raising and lowering of the curtain supporting member can be effected while the movement of the spring actuated bolts may be independently controlled.

6. In an adjustable shade supporter ad apted to be mounted on a window frame, a plurality of side members, and a curtain supporting member adapted to be sliflably mounted on the side members, said curtain supporting member comprising two plates each provided with a plurality of sleeves at the sides thereof to engage the side members, a weight supporting block adjacent one sleeve and a spring actuated retaining bolt carried bv said block. one of said plates being provided also with retaining flanges on each side thereof to engage the edge of the other plate, and flexible means to connect each retaining bolt and the weight supporting blocks.

7 In an adjustable shade supporter adapted to be mounted on a window frame, a plurality of side members having a series ot apertures, a curtain supporting member mounted on the side members comprising two adjustablv connected plates, each plate being provided with a curtain bracket. a plurality of sleeves, a weight supporting block adjacent the upper sleeve. and a spring actuated retaining bolt carried bv the block, said retaining bolt being connected for simultaneous movement by flexible means, flexible means connected to the weight supporting blocks to control the vertical movement of the curtain supporter, and an operating cord having one end connected to said flexible bolt operating means and its other end to flexible means connected to the weight supporting block.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signa.- ture, in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

EMORY llIoFrETT, W. R. SELF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, ZD. C. 

